Finally, Telstra's rivals deliver on fibre-to-the-node plan
Infrastructure investors would largely fund a G9 FTTN network.
Photo: Jessica Shapiro
AFTER 364 days, the G9 coalition of Telstra's rivals has finally delivered on a promise to lodge plans about how and on what terms it would build a fibre-to-the-node broadband network.
The Optus-led group of nine's lodgement of a draft special access undertaking with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is the first formal step towards gaining regulatory immunity for the project, in return for a commitment to provide wholesale access on set terms and prices.
But complete details of the plan to extend the reach of fibre-optic cable beyond telephone exchanges for faster broadband speeds will remain secret unless the G9 and the ACCC agree to their release.
A G9 FTTN network would largely be funded by infrastructure investors and be operated by an independent company called SpeedReach, which would provide wholesale access to all telcos on equal terms.
The plan is contentious because it would require Telstra, a steadfast opponent of the G9 and its FTTN plan, to allow the G9 network to interact with and sometimes bypass its nationwide copper-wire telephone network.
Matt Healy, the regulatory executive for G9 member Macquarie Telecom, said the undertaking specifically outlined how its FTTN network would interact with Telstra's network, as it would rely on the "last mile" of copper between a node and premises to provide broadband.
"It will identify the network elements that we take from Telstra, the network elements which we will deploy ourselves, which is the fibre and most importantly the method of identifying how the roll-out will progress," he said.
Communications Minister Helen Coonan, whose department is directly negotiating with Telstra and the G9 over their respective FTTN plans, welcomed the G9's submission of its undertaking.
Senator Coonan said it "demonstrates you can get a FTTN build in highly commercial areas such as capital cities and major regional centres without taxpayer funding", in reference to Labor's plan to spend up to $4.7 billion to subsidise a nationwide FTTN roll-out.
The G9 has previously stated it will only build FTTN if the Government creates a law to prevent Telstra building a duplicate network, as happened during Optus' roll-out of its cable network from 1995.